Newcastle United ‘interested’ in 17-goal striker eyed by Porto and Benfica as Lens star is targeted

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Feyenoord striker Santiago Giminez after he hit form with the Eredivise club.

The 21-year-old frontman moved to the De Kuip Stadium in a £3.2m deal from Cruz Azul last summer and has gone on to score 17 goals and provide three assists in 35 appearances in all competitions during his first season in Holland. The Mexico international has helped his side into the quarter-final of the Europa League and they will face Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the last eight of the competition.

Feyenoord also sit at the top of the Eredivise table after losing just one one of their 27 league games and Giminez’s form has been a key part of his side’s title push. His goalscoring exploits have captured the attention of several clubs around Europe according to a report in Mexico, with Portuguese giants Benfica and Porto both heavily linked with a summer move for the striker. Razon have also claimed Newcastle and Brighton and Hove Albion are also interested in the Giminez and reveals his former club Cruz Azul would benefit from a sell-on clause inserted in the deal that took him to Feyenoord.

Magpies ‘on the offensive’ for highly-rated Austrian international

French outlet Jeunes Footeux have claimed Newcastle showed an interest in Lens centre-back Kevin Danso during the January transfer window and could reignite their interest at the end of the season.

The defender is reportedly set to leave the Ligue 1 club at the end of the season and Les Sant et Or have already identified Darmstadt star Patric Pfeiffer as a potential replacement. The report suggests the Magpies are one of a number of clubs ‘particularly’ interested in 24-year-old Danso, who has started in every league fixture for Lens so far this season.